" Hello Brother Oswald," she said, boldly looking Oz in the eyes and locking the gaze.
" Huh? Who are you?" Buffy asked before Oz could not-react.
The stranger took up the Slayer's hand quickly and kissed it, moving her undeniable stare to Buffy's eyes then. " I," she stated, " am called Cirrus."
" You're my sister? ... Huh," the boy of ever-changing hair color said, more to himself than anyone else.
" Not genetically, of course, dear Oswald. We are of the same blood though, but you've been too frightened to admit it, even to yourself."
Her statement mystified everyone, not so much because they didn't know what she was talking about, they had a pretty good idea, but their minds clouded at the thought of Oz being frightened (or anything else for that matter).
" Blood? What do you mean blood?" asked Cordelia, who had just wheeled onto the scene in her stylish navy blue wheelchair.
" The blood of Fenris my dear," she replied, leaning down to kiss Cordy's hand as she had Buffy's. " The blood of the wolf."
" Cirrus? Another werewolf in Sunnydale?" Willow asked into the phone.
" That's what she said. She said she's here to train him. I don't know though, there's something I don't like about her," Buffy replied. " I don't think Oz trusts her much either."
" I wouldn't. I mean, werewolf who likes being a werewolf. It sounds creepy to me. Thanks for the Oz updates Buffy."
" No problem, always glad to help lovesick puppies. I gotta go, I'll see you later," the Slayer stated hurriedly as she hung up.
" Willow?" questioned a voice from the shadows.
" Cirrus... so that's what you're calling yourself now? Why did you come back here?" Willow didn't turn to face her, she didn’t need to. Clearly in her mind she could see the long brown hair in its ponytail, as it had been seemingly since the beginning of time, the shiny gray eyes, the tall, leanly muscled body. Just like Buffy had described on the phone. Willow’s voice was cold as ice.
" Willow..." Cirrus pleaded.
" Get out. Now."
And when the redhead turned around, the shadows were empty.
The vampire exploded into dust with a 'poof'. Faith reached down to help her comrade to her feet.
" Thanks," Buffy said as she dusted herself off.
" Well done Slayer, well done!"
Buffy and Faith spun to face the source of the applause. Faith's eyes lit up.
" Cirrus, how did you know that I'm the Slayer?" Buffy growled.
" Actually, I didn't. I was talking to this one here," the girl answered, kissing the hand of the blushing Faith three times. " You know, the one who actually killed the vampire."
" B, why didn't you take me to meet her before? I'm Faith, Buffy's co-Slayer." To Buffy's dismay, her friend seemed to be swooning.
" Um, Faith, don't we have, like, vamp slayage to be doing?" Buffy asked, pulling Faith away by the arm.
" Farewell Faith, I'll see you soon," Cirrus promised, grinning.
" Oh, hi Faith," Willow greeted as she walked into the library. " I just came to fetch some books for Giles."
" Which ones? I'll help you look for them," the dark-haired Slayer offered.
They began scanning the shelves together. " So what's with the super-happiness? You seem... bouncier than usual," Willow asked from the opposite side of a bookcase.
" I think I'm in... well, not love, I don't do that, but I'm in serious like. Like, yum like," Faith replied, doing a very un-Faith-like giggle.
" Oh really?" said the young witch asked suggestively. " Who's the lucky boy?"
" Boy? Oh... um, that's right I didn't tell you did I? I swing both ways. It's a girl."
" Er... oh... um... well, that's... cool," Willow stated, nervous from lack of preperation.
" It doesn't freak you does it?" Faith inquired seriously.
" No, no, I just wasn't expecting that. So who is she?" Willow quickly regained her normal, cheery tones.
Faith sighed dreamily. " Her name is Cirrus."
Willow's books dropped to the floor along with her lower jaw. " Cirrus..." she breathed. " I think you should stay away from her Faith," she whispered, trying to stay calm.
" What?! Why?!" Faith cried.
" I don't trust her Faith, nobody does."
" But... That's totally not fair! You don't even know her!" Faith shouted.
" Neither do you!! Stay away from her Faith, she'll hurt you too!!!" Willow screamed, her hard-held tears finally streaking down her face as she ran swiftly out of the library, leaving Faith confused and hurt.
Faith stopped her sobbing abruptly when a pair of lean, muscular arms wrapped around her waist. That same voice, deep and seductive, but gentler that time, whispered soothingly in her ear, “ Shh... Faith... don’t cry. You’re too beautiful to cry baby.”
“ Cirrus... oh god... why doesn’t anyone see what I see?” Faith cried out, burying her face in Cirrus’ brown leather jacket.
“ What do you mean Faith? Why are you so sad?” the girl asked, holding her close.
“ Willow, Buffy... they’ve all been warning me. They’ve all told me to stay away from you, but... but I don’t want to... I like you...” Faith bawled, kissing Cirrus’ chin and neck .
“ Faith... don’t. I like you too, but not now.” Cirrus pulled away to look in the Slayer’s eyes. She started to say something in protest, but Cirrus put a finger to her lips. “ Shh. Don’t say it. This will happen, I promise, but not now. I’m no good to you now.” She kissed Faith’s lips quickly and vanished.
“ What are you doing here again? Okay, now I’m feeling annoyance. ... Interesting,” Oz started, fading off into his own little world of emotional exploration.
“ Oswald...”
“ That’s not my name. Stop calling me that.”
Sigh. “ Oz. You need my help. I can train you, make you a more effective werewolf...”
“ I don’t want to be a werewolf at all really, it’s kind of, well, not good.” “ It can be good Oswa - Oz. It can be helpful.”
“ Okay now I want you to go away.”
Growl. “ Alright, fine. But I will convince you. I have patience and persistance.”
“ That’s good, but...” and then Oz realized he was talking to himself.
“ Cordelia? Hello. What can I do for you?” Giles asking, only briefly looking up from his massive volume.
Cordelia wheeled over to the Watcher. “ I was looking for Buffy actually. I... I need someone to talk to.”
“ Well here I am. C’mon Cordy, let’s go talk,” Buffy said, emerging from the labyrinth of books and pushing Cordelia’s wheelchair out the door.
“ What’s up Cordy?” Buffy asked once they were outside.
“ I... I can’t stop thinking about him Buffy. I hate him, because of him I’ll never...” she paused to pull back her tears, “ ... walk again... but I can’t stop this. God Buffy... help me.” Cordelia began to wail.
Buffy reached over to stroke the former May Queen’s hair comfortingly. “ Cordy... I wish I could do something for you but... Listen, Xander’s been ripping his hair out over this. You have to give him a break for his confusion. What he did was bad, I know, but he doesn’t know what he wants and you shouldn’t let it get to you. He’ll come around eventually, but he’s a stupid boy, you have to give him time.”
Cordelia sniffled. “ I know... I know! But...” she lowered her voice to a whisper, as if she herself was afraid to say the words. “... I love him.”
“ I know Cordy...” Buffy replied. And she really did know. Still frames of the world’s one righteous vampire flashed through her mind.
“ Oh the many pains of boy troubles. You two really should move on, I think you’d make a cute couple.”
The girl turned, much to their discontent, to see Cirrus.
“ Um, eeeww,” Cordelia said firmly.
“ Ditto. What the hell are you doing here?” Buffy added.
“ Oh, I was just in the neighborhood and I thought I’d sniff out my two favorite girls... ... but since their not around, I decided to talk to you. Give my best to Oswald when you see him, he’s been rather hard to find lately, probably avoiding me,” Cirrus explained with a mock frown. “ I still need to teach him things you know.”
“ Yeah, well, I promise I’ll do that if you promise to get a life and stop stalking us,” snapped Cordelia.
“ Hmph. You know something Cordy? You’re not nice.” And then she was gone.
“ Hey! I am too nice!! Come back here!” she yelled, wheeling hastily down the street. “ Take that back! I’ll... I’ll have Willow turn you into a frog!!! ... Oh wait, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean that...”
Buffy couldn’t stifle her laughter.
The moon, a perfect cresent, shone bright over the trailer in the woods. The door screamed savagely on its rusty hinges as it was opened. The dog, a monster of a thing, the size of a small bear, leaped outside ahead of its master. The titanic man knelt beside the hound, unhooking its leash. The beast took off immediately, ripping across the ground so fast it was almost gliding, headed toward the town and the scent of fresh meat and blood. ... And fear, oh the intoxicating smell of fear.
“ Buffy! Thanks god, I’ve been looking all over for you,” Giles panted.
“ Well, um, you could have just pulled up my class schedule...” Buffy suggested, talking slowly for the sake of her Watcher’s seemingly malfunctioning brain.
“ Oh, yes, of course, well...” The Britt tried to recover, but failed miserably. “ Well, anyway, there was a murder last night. A local man, poor chap, jogging. He was found in the middle of the street... burned and shredded, as if by an animal...”
“ Or a werewolf,” Buffy finished. “ I knew she was bad news. Giles, get the others. Silver bullets, silver anything. Just get me weapons. Oh yeah, and don’t tell Faith.”
“ Why not?” Giles asked, puzzled.
“ Trust me,” Buffy commanded. “ I’ve got to find Oz.” And she ran off.
They were gathered in the library that evening, Xander and Willow sitting in shame against one wall and Cordelia sitting in pain against the other, when Buffy and Oz burst in.
“ Where’s my silver?” Buffy demanded.
Cordelia silently tossed her a silver slingshot slug. Willow presented her gleaming silver dagger, and Xander grinned sheepishly and held up his shiny spoon.
“ Um, okay, I guess it’ll have to do. Xander, Willow, you come with us. Cordelia, its too dangerous for you to fight. Stay here.” And with that, the four of them charged out the doors.
“ Willow and Xander? Hmph... we’ll see if I stay here...” Cordelia mumbled half-heartedly.
“ Mmmm... Cirrus... oh...”
Cirrus dragged her tongue up along Faith’s throat to her ear and, licking it, whispered, “ I know I said ‘Not now’, but you’re just so irresistable...”
“ Sorry to interrupt your little party... well, actually, I’m not!”
Cirrus roared as she felt the projectile, about the size of a ball bearing, collide with and burn her back. She and Faith leaped to their feet, standing firmly and staring fiercely at Buffy, Willow, Xander, and Oz. The group rushed suddenly, Buffy jabbing and kicking Cirrus, Willow thrusting her knife, and Xander waving his spoon in her face. Faith wasted no time knocking Xander out with a swift roundhouse to the side of his head. He and his spoon fell silently to the moist ground. Cirrus caught Willow’s arm in mid-slash and squeezed, forcing her to drop the knife, and then using her own fist to knock her out as well. Faith pounced on Buffy’s back, throwing her to the ground and leaving Cirrus to face Oz one on one.
“ Ah! Oswald! You know, this fight would be so much easier if you were a big bad wolf, don’t you think?” she taunted.
Oz and Cirrus circled each other several times, Cirrus reaching out every once in awhile to slap his cheeks lightly. “ C’mon,” she teased. “ You know you want to, you know deep down that you can. So do it. Change and kick my ass Oswald!”
Cirrus bobbed down for a moment to scoop up the spoon. Her hand smoked and hissed as it burned, but Cirrus paid it little mind as she shoved it in the face of Oz. He, being weaker, was forced back by the power of the precious metal and could do nothing to attack his opponent.
“ Ha! You’re so weak it’s laughable Oswald! Why don’t you shift into something stronger you sissy!”
Oz began to growl and rumble. Then he started to bark, then roar. His face elongated into a snout and his ears sharpened and shifted to the top of his head. Shaggy, gray fur spouted from his pores, and he snarled, revealing rows of razor teeth. Cirrus laughed and went through the change as well, but her fur was jet black except for one bright white star on her forehead. She charged, wrestling Oz to the ground, her chuckles loud and maddening. Suddenly, Oz stopped struggling.
“ Why... why am I thinking? Why am I talking? What happened?” he asked with actual confusion in his voice.
“ This! This, Oswald, is what I wanted to teach you! You are not the slave of the wolf, the wolf is the partner of you! Use it Oswald, use it whenever you wish!” Cirrus told him, getting up and dancing about the graveyard.
“ Wait, what just happened here?” asked Buffy, who stumbled away from Faith.
“ I did my duty. Oswald knows what he needs to know!” Cirrus said happily, shifting back into human form.
“ Well, thanks,” said Oz.
Willow couldn’t concentrate. Faith’s giggles and tiny moans were getting to her. Slayer Number Two sat in Cirrus’ lap across the table from were she was attempting to study her spellbook, getting her lips and neck kissed. Every now and then, during a swiftly stolen glance, Willow would catch sight of tongue.
Finally, after a third ‘ Oh Cirrus... oh baby...’ and seeing a hand slide along Faith’s thigh, Willow had reached her limit. She slammed her book down on the table and went completely ballistic.
“ So what is this?! Is this your revenge for me not running back to you with open arms after what you did to me?!?!” she screamed.
Cirrus put Faith down gently and rose to lock eyes with Willow. “ Is it so hard to imagine that someone can get over you?!” she yelled back. “ We were just kids for god’s sake!!! Did you actually think that meant anything?!?!”
“ You bitch...” she murmured. “ You horrible fucking bitch!!! Goddamn you Airin!!!” Willow raised her arm unconsciously as she cursed, and Cirrus felt herself being lifted from the floor.
“ Holy shi...” she almost cried, but was cut off when Willow thrust her hand forward, causing Cirrus to fly into the back wall with a loud crack. For a minute, the redheaded witch seemed stunned, then deathly, palely afraid and she turned and ran for her life out the door.
Faith went to Cirrus and helped her up. “ Cirrus, what happened between you and Willow? I have to know...”
“ Four years ago, Sunnydale, California...”
“ Oof!” Willow exhaled as the pillow hit her in the stomach.
“ Haha! Gotcha!” said Airin, tackling her friend and pinning her to the bed.
“ Airin?” Willow asked, her voice taking on a different tone.
“ Yeah?”
“ Have you ever kissed anyone?”
Airin laughed. “ C’mon Will, you know very well you’re the only one who’ll come anywhere near me!”
“ I’ve never kissed anyone either...”
“ So what? There’s time for that stuff. We’ve got all the time in the world!”
“ I want to know what it’s like though... ... Airin?”
“ Hmm?”
“ Kiss me.”
Airin pressed her lips against her friend’s, softly at first, but harder as she became more bold. Willow’s mouth opened slightly and she licked Airin’s lips, cautiously, testing. Airin responded by licking her tongue, and their tongues slid into each other’s mouths and began an intimate and fiery dance.
“ We continued, seeing each other in secret, for several weeks. But it wasn’t meant to last. After my first change, my parents arranged for me to be the student of a great master wolf in San Francisco. He was to teach me useful magics and such, stuff only werewolves can use. She was sobbing so hard the day that I left...”
“ Willow, I’m so sorry... I wish I could stay... but I have to do this.”
“ Why though?!? Why do you have to leave me?!?! You haven’t explained any of this!!!” Willow screamed, pounding her fists against Airin’s chest.
“ I... I can’t tell you Will...”
“ I thought I meant more to you than this Airin... you don’t even trust me...”
“ Willow...”
“ Get out. Now.”
“ Willow...”
“ Stop it... stop following me Airin...”
“ Willow, we have to talk. I’m sorry for what I did, but I’ve moved on since then. You did too, from what I heard. It sounded like you and Oswald were good for each other until you got hot for Xander again.”
“ Shut up!”
“ No Will, not this time. You’re going to listen. I shouldn’t have left you like I did, I should have said something more, or kept in touch, or something, but you need to stop punishing me for one mistake.”
“ You were the first person I ever loved!!”
“ I loved you too! In the library, those were angry words! That’s why I couldn’t tell you! I was afraid you’d hate me. How was I to know that not telling you would make you hate me even more? I never meant to hurt you, but it’s too late to do anything about it now. I lo... I feel strongly about Faith, just as you do for Oz, I can see it in your eyes. All that pain wasn’t caused by me. It’s not me and you anymore, it never will be again. It’s you and Oz who need to figure things out now.”
“ Airin... Cirrus...?”
“ What?”
“ Thanks for not hating me for this.”
“ No problem my friend.”
Oz returned to his home that night to find a small package taped to his door. Warily, he took the package down and tore it open. The contents brought his first smile in a week to his lips. It was Willow’s witch Pez, bound by red ribbon to another Pez, Scooby Doo with little paper fangs. The card inside read: Okay, fine, so there isn’t a werewolf Pez.
Oz came jogging up to Willow in the hall after class.
“ Willow, I’ve been looking everywhere.”
“ Oz! Oh, um, hi Oz!” Willow said in her, I’m-giddy-but-trying-to-hide-it voice.
“ I got your present last night. It was the sweetest thing anyone’s ever done for me. I’m sorry I haven’t been speaking to you, but it hurt so much when I saw you with Xander. ... It was kinda...”
“ Interesting, right? Oh Oz, it’s so good to have you back!” she exclaimed, throwing her arms around his neck and embracing him tightly.
He kissed her, five times he kissed her. And then he said, “ I have to go. Willow?”
“ Yeah?”
“ I love you!” he called back as he darted down the hall.
Willow Rosenburg, sublimely happy, leaned back againt the wall and sighed. Then she frowned.
“ Present??”
“ I’m so glad he liked it.” Willow jumped at the unexpected sound of Cirrus’ voice.
“ So you...?” she asked.
“ Yes Will, I figured since I came back and busted your life to bits, I should be fair and try to restore some of it. Hope you like my gift to you.”
“ Cirrus... Thank you,” she breathed, standing up on her toes to kiss Cirrus’ cheek.
“ No problem babe,” she replied, and then an evil grin crept upon her face. “ Now where’s Faith?”
“ Oh I just adore these big buff ‘90’s chicks!” Cirrus announced as she walked into the library.
Buffy and Faith stopped training. The dark-haired Slayer greeted her with a deep kiss while the other made gagging noises in the background. Slipping one arm around Faith’s waist, Cirrus walked toward Buffy.
“ Now now, that isn’t very nice little girl.”
“ I suppose we should kiss and make up now?” Buffy asked jokingly.
“ Well...” Cirrus replied, then she jumped on Buffy, trapping her in a headlock and kissing the top of her head. She also gave the Slayer several noogies before letting her go.
“ I hate to be a wet blanket,” interrupted Giles, “ but we have a problem. The murders, shredded bodies, they haven’t stopped. Four more corpses were found last night.”
“ Ah ha! Ah ha! I knew it!” cried Xander, who had just walked in and only heard Giles’ speech. “ I knew when I heard about you from Willow last night, the way you used her and left, that you weren’t any good. Well now I’m going to get my secret weapon!” And with that, Xander left.
“ Um, okay... Anyway, I think we have some hunting to do,” Faith stated, getting up and grabbing a crossbow. The others followed suit and they left as well.
Cirrus sniffed. “ Tonight reeks of blood,” she informed them. She had changed into her werewolf form for the hunt, and Faith ran her hand through the soft ebony fur.
“ Faith. Not now,” Buffy commanded, a little annoyed at the fact that they couldn’t stay off each other ever while hunting for monsters.
“ Ah ha!! Ah ha!! You’re in for it now wolfie!!” they heard Xander shout. They looked and saw him galloping toward them, dragged a very mentally mixed up Angel by the arm behind him. He stopped a short distance away and pointed at Cirrus. “ Angel! Sic ‘er!!”
“ Xander, let go of me.”
“ Oh, uh, yeah, sorry,” the boy apologized, releasing the vampire from his kung-fu grip and dusting off his arm.
“ That’s your secret weapon?” Cirrus asked, looking Angel over. “ Ha! Looks more like your secret lover!”
“ Hey! I happen be quite certain of his heterosexuality thank-you-very-much!” Buffy snapped.
“ Ex,” Faith whispered. Cirrus nodded.
“ Uh, yeah,” Angel said uncomfortably. “ Can I go now?”
“ Oh no,” a deep voice boomed. “ None of you get to leave yet, Friends of Cirrus.”
“ Oh shit,” Cirrus muttered. “ Hydisgiga.”
“ Damn straight you puny puppy!” the demon roared. “ I’ve waited a long time for this! Spot! Go!”
The Hellhound sprang forth, spewing fire from its mouth and nostrils.
“ Spot?” Xander questioned.
“ Um, that guy’s a lesser demon, they’re not all that bright,” Cirrus answered, backing up.
“ Oh, and why’s this one after you again?” Buffy asked.
“ I kinda sorta killed his friend.”
“ Really?”
“ Well, replace ‘kinda sorta’ with ‘purposely and gleefully’ and the word ‘friend’ with ‘wife and child’. But they were evil so it was okay... I think,” Cirrus explained hastily as the Hellhound leaped for her throat.
“ No! Over here you mutt!” cried Faith, launching an arrow that stuck in the beast’s neck. The shaft burst into flames and the hound wheeled around and pounced on Faith, flaming and biting and scratching.
“ Faith!!!” Cirrus screamed, rushing to the hound and grabbing it, piercing it with her claws and trying to throw it off her lover.
Suddenly, the monster was lifted, and Cirrus saw the form of a big gray werewolf beside her. Together, Cirrus and Oz chucked the Hellhound back at the laughing Hydisgiga. The hound’s body knocked him to the ground and he wailed in agony as his own pet burned him.
“ Let us handle this now,” Oz said. Buffy and Angel nodded in agreement and ran to the demon and his hound and began to fight, Angel kicking the dog repeatedly in the head and side and Buffy smashing the fallen demon’s face. Oz turned to join them with his teeth and claws. Xander just watched like a yokel. Once seeing that everything was under control, Cirrus knelt beside Faith.
She was burned everywhere and blood covered the upper half of her torso. Cirrus took the wounded Slayer into her arms and ran in the direction of Sunnydale’s hospital.
“ Why?” she asked. “ Why?! I could have taken it!! Why did you do such a stupid thing?!?!” Cirrus began to weep silently as she ran.
Faith reached up weakly and put her bloodstained hand on Cirrus’ cheek. “ I didn’t know... I wanted to distract it, give you more of a chance... Cirrus, I...”
“ Hush, don’t waste all your strength talking to me.”
“ No Cirrus. I’ve never said it before... I’ve never felt it before... but I want to say it to you... just in case...”
“ Don’t you even dare talk like that to me Faith!” Cirrus cried.
“ I love you Cirrus...”
“ Oh Faith...” she gasped as she kicked open the hospital doors.
“ Oz bit him a few times and it was over. Angel kicked the crap out of that Hellhound,” Buffy replied, making her way to the bed.
“ Remind me to thank that Angel guy...”
“ How’s Faith?” Xander asked.
“ She’s all stitched and bandaged. Lost blood, second degree burns. She was lucky. She’s sleeping now,” Cirrus informed them.
Buffy leaned down over the bed and gave the sleeping Faith a gentle kiss on her cheek. “ I think we should leave now,” she said.
“ Yeah, give her a little time, I could use a walk anyway,” Cirrus said, moving out the door.
Once outside, as they watched the sun rise, Oz asked, “ What will you do now Cirrus?”
“ Heh, I had planned on leaving after I got things settled with you like I was told to... but it feels good to be back home...”
“ Does that mean you’ll stay?” Buffy inquired, slinging an arm around Cirrus’ shoulders.
Cirrus smiled. “ Yeah... I think I will.”